Development
the elaboration of a theme or subject; the unfolding of a musical idea; the
evolution of a whole piece or movement from a leading theme or motive (a)
The next day, Calleigh came into work to discover a surprise waiting for her in the ballistics lab. Perched on the stool Horatio had been seated on when she left the night before was a cup of coffee and an envelope with her name on it. Opening the envelope as she sipped the aromatic coffee, she pulled out a piece of cardstock with a series of sentence fragments in Horatio's handwriting.
"Friday Night. 5:30. Dinner and Dessert. My apartment. Dress Casual."
Calleigh smiled and fanned herself with the invitation. It seemed as though Horatio had taken her hint. Then again, nobody ever said Horatio was not a smart man.
At the appointed time on Friday, Calleigh showed up at Horatio's apartment. She raised her hand to knock, but the door opened before she had a chance. Horatio met her inquisitive look with a shrug.
"I was looking out the window for you," he admitted.
Calleigh smiled. It was so sweet. She followed Horatio into his apartment and was led to the kitchen, where she placed her purse on the counter. Horatio motioned for her to sit down at the table tucked into a corner of the room and Calleigh noted with delight that it was already set for a romantic dinner for two. Candles were lit, wine was poured, and the food had already been plated. Looking around the pristine kitchen, Calleigh turned to Horatio with a question.
"Did you really cook or did you just get some restaurant take-out? No one's kitchen is this clean."
Horatio refused to meet her eyes. "I'll confess to not cooking dinner. There wasn't enough time after work to cook and get everything ready, and I didn't want us to be stuck doing dishes once we were finished." He looked back up, as though he were seeking forgiveness, and Calleigh almost laughed at the sheepish look on his face. "I did make the dessert myself," he continued, pulling a chair out for Calleigh to sit. "I didn't want you to think I'd go back on any part of our original agreement."
Calleigh smiled and placed a hand on Horatio's arm as she took her seat. "It's perfect," she reassured him, glad to see he was just as nervous about this evening as she was. "It was just a question." Horatio sat across from her and they began to eat their dinner.
"I'm impressed, Horatio," Calleigh said after trying some of the food. "How in the world did you ever find a restaurant that would let you get fillet mignon, mashed potatoes and a salad for take out?"
Horatio gave Calleigh a playful glance as he refilled her glasses. "I do happen to get out of the lab once and a while, Calleigh, and I know my share of local chefs. Marcello did me a favor, though if he ever were to hear you called his 'purée de pommes de terre' by the crude name of mashed potatoes, I think he'd banish me from his list of acquaintances, and I shudder to think what would happen if he knew you let his signature vinaigrette dressing pass without comment."
"Lord, I wouldn't want to get between you and a friend who can cook like this! Purée de pommes de terre it is," Calleigh said, laughing. The conversation continued to flow freely, and they talked about work, friends, the weather, movies - anything and everything that came to mind. Horatio told Calleigh stories about growing up in Miami and his first introduction to Cuban coffee and Calleigh demonstrated some of the finer points of the cotillion etiquette she had learned growing up in Louisiana.
By the time they had finished eating, Calleigh felt completely comfortable, and she rose to fix coffee while Horatio cleaned the plates. After finishing his task, Horatio told Calleigh to go into the living room so he could surprise her with dessert.
Walking over to a window overlooking the water, Calleigh began to feel nervous again. Dinner had been wonderful; it was filled with casual, friendly conversation and it had been a great way to unwind after a long week. Now Calleigh was not sure what to expect. Would the evening continue to be light and easy or would the advent of dessert bring back the tension that usually accompanied the game she and Horatio had been playing?
Calleigh heard dishes rattle in the kitchen and knew she was about to find out. Turning to face the kitchen, she saw Horatio enter the room with a tray. It had coffee cups, a sugar bowl, and.no way. Calleigh could not believe it. How in the world? There, sitting in the middle of the tray was a stack of beignets.
Calleigh looked at Horatio, delighted. "How did you."
Horatio grinned, happy his choice had pleased her. "I remember, when you first transferred from New Orleans, how you used to complain you couldn't get fresh beignets anymore. A friend of mine went there a while back and I asked him to pick up some mix for me if he saw any, and he came back with a few boxes of the stuff. I've just been waiting for the right occasion."
He set the tray down on the coffee table and served Calleigh, taking note of exactly how much sugar she added to her coffee. Whenever they shared, she complained he put in too little or too much, and Horatio was determined to get it just right the next time. Collecting his own coffee and beignet, he sat next to Calleigh on the couch.
Calleigh allowed herself to relax into the silence overtaking them. Silences were never awkward with Horatio; it was as though he could sense her need to work some things out in her head and gave her the time and space to do so. Turning on the couch, she drew up one leg and tucked it under her, facing Horatio directly. She studied his relaxed features for a moment before placing her empty dessert plate on Horatio's coffee table, signaling her readiness to talk. Horatio followed suit, ridding himself of the dish in his hand before mirroring Calleigh's position on the couch. He sat in silence, waiting for Calleigh to open the conversation. He did not have to wait long.
"If you don't mind me asking," Calleigh began, "I could use some clarification. I'm a little.confused about tonight."
Horatio felt his eyebrows knit together and he ducked his head, rubbing a hand over his forehead before Calleigh could read his uncertain expression. Did she not understand his invitation? His intentions? After over a month of flirting, was there a chance she believed he had invited her here as a gesture of platonic friendship? Or did she simply not return his feelings and was trying to give him a way out? Even as the doubts swarmed through Horatio's mind, he heard Calleigh speak again.
"I'm sorry, that came out wrong," she said, reaching out to draw his face up. Calleigh had seen Horatio's reaction and realized he had misinterpreted her comment, and now she attempted to clarify her thoughts out loud. "I meant , well, all of this-the dinner, the conversation, dessert, even sitting here with you-it all feels so.right. Easy. Natural. I only meant, well, after all the build-up between us this past month, I thought you'd have me fighting for control the whole evening and I was surprised. That's all."
Horatio felt himself relax. They were on the same page after all. He raised his eyebrows in a suggestive manner and jokingly addressed Calleigh. "So does this mean you would have preferred an evening of loaded conversation and thinly-disguised foreplay? Because if that's what you want."
Calleigh just slapped him on the arm and laughed. "You know what I meant, you tease."
Horatio laughed along with her and lost his ridiculous expression. He became serious and reached out to brush some of Calleigh's hair away from her face. As he dropped his hand, Calleigh caught it, and he stared at their intertwined fingers. He took a deep breath. It was time to lay his cards, and his heart, out on the table.
"Yeah, I knew what you meant," he said, looking into Calleigh eyes again. "I just didn't know what to do there for a moment when you said you were confused about what this was. I was afraid you were saying this past month had just been a game to you and you didn't want to pursue anything outside of the office. I thought you were saying you don't feel the same way I do."
Calleigh squeezed Horatio's hand and held the pressure, hoping to impart physically the earnestness of her next words. "Never doubt that I want this any less than you do, Horatio. I've been waiting too long for this opportunity to let it slip through my fingers by playing dumb or even hard to get. I don't need you to tell me there's something between us that goes beyond some stupid game or even our friendship, because it's the unspoken truth we carry around with us every day. It's in the room every time our eyes meet or our bodies touch. It's in our voices every time you say my name and every time I say yours. Something comes alive in me whenever you're around and I know it's true for you too. I don't want you to ever think I'm blind to what we have, Horatio, or that I would ever deny its existence or potency."
Horatio could only stare at Calleigh in wonder. He had not thought it possible to love her even more than he already did, but somehow she always found a way to show him depths to himself he never knew existed. She had managed to find the words that spoke the truth of his heart, to provide overwhelming and unnecessary evidence confirming this was meant to be.
He tried to tell her how much she meant to him, but he could not get the words past his lips. Instead, he pulled her into a tight embrace, holding her so firmly he knew she could barely breathe.
More than anything else, Horatio wanted to allow his body to communicate to Calleigh the depth of emotion her words had stirred in him. He felt Calleigh's head turn, knew she sought the same physical connection he craved, but he pulled away, determined she would hear some very important words first.
The next day, Calleigh came into work to discover a surprise waiting for her in the ballistics lab. Perched on the stool Horatio had been seated on when she left the night before was a cup of coffee and an envelope with her name on it. Opening the envelope as she sipped the aromatic coffee, she pulled out a piece of cardstock with a series of sentence fragments in Horatio's handwriting.
"Friday Night. 5:30. Dinner and Dessert. My apartment. Dress Casual."
Calleigh smiled and fanned herself with the invitation. It seemed as though Horatio had taken her hint. Then again, nobody ever said Horatio was not a smart man.
At the appointed time on Friday, Calleigh showed up at Horatio's apartment. She raised her hand to knock, but the door opened before she had a chance. Horatio met her inquisitive look with a shrug.
"I was looking out the window for you," he admitted.
Calleigh smiled. It was so sweet. She followed Horatio into his apartment and was led to the kitchen, where she placed her purse on the counter. Horatio motioned for her to sit down at the table tucked into a corner of the room and Calleigh noted with delight that it was already set for a romantic dinner for two. Candles were lit, wine was poured, and the food had already been plated. Looking around the pristine kitchen, Calleigh turned to Horatio with a question.
"Did you really cook or did you just get some restaurant take-out? No one's kitchen is this clean."
Horatio refused to meet her eyes. "I'll confess to not cooking dinner. There wasn't enough time after work to cook and get everything ready, and I didn't want us to be stuck doing dishes once we were finished." He looked back up, as though he were seeking forgiveness, and Calleigh almost laughed at the sheepish look on his face. "I did make the dessert myself," he continued, pulling a chair out for Calleigh to sit. "I didn't want you to think I'd go back on any part of our original agreement."
Calleigh smiled and placed a hand on Horatio's arm as she took her seat. "It's perfect," she reassured him, glad to see he was just as nervous about this evening as she was. "It was just a question." Horatio sat across from her and they began to eat their dinner.
"I'm impressed, Horatio," Calleigh said after trying some of the food. "How in the world did you ever find a restaurant that would let you get fillet mignon, mashed potatoes and a salad for take out?"
Horatio gave Calleigh a playful glance as he refilled her glasses. "I do happen to get out of the lab once and a while, Calleigh, and I know my share of local chefs. Marcello did me a favor, though if he ever were to hear you called his 'purée de pommes de terre' by the crude name of mashed potatoes, I think he'd banish me from his list of acquaintances, and I shudder to think what would happen if he knew you let his signature vinaigrette dressing pass without comment."
"Lord, I wouldn't want to get between you and a friend who can cook like this! Purée de pommes de terre it is," Calleigh said, laughing. The conversation continued to flow freely, and they talked about work, friends, the weather, movies - anything and everything that came to mind. Horatio told Calleigh stories about growing up in Miami and his first introduction to Cuban coffee and Calleigh demonstrated some of the finer points of the cotillion etiquette she had learned growing up in Louisiana.
By the time they had finished eating, Calleigh felt completely comfortable, and she rose to fix coffee while Horatio cleaned the plates. After finishing his task, Horatio told Calleigh to go into the living room so he could surprise her with dessert.
Walking over to a window overlooking the water, Calleigh began to feel nervous again. Dinner had been wonderful; it was filled with casual, friendly conversation and it had been a great way to unwind after a long week. Now Calleigh was not sure what to expect. Would the evening continue to be light and easy or would the advent of dessert bring back the tension that usually accompanied the game she and Horatio had been playing?
Calleigh heard dishes rattle in the kitchen and knew she was about to find out. Turning to face the kitchen, she saw Horatio enter the room with a tray. It had coffee cups, a sugar bowl, and.no way. Calleigh could not believe it. How in the world? There, sitting in the middle of the tray was a stack of beignets.
Calleigh looked at Horatio, delighted. "How did you."
Horatio grinned, happy his choice had pleased her. "I remember, when you first transferred from New Orleans, how you used to complain you couldn't get fresh beignets anymore. A friend of mine went there a while back and I asked him to pick up some mix for me if he saw any, and he came back with a few boxes of the stuff. I've just been waiting for the right occasion."
He set the tray down on the coffee table and served Calleigh, taking note of exactly how much sugar she added to her coffee. Whenever they shared, she complained he put in too little or too much, and Horatio was determined to get it just right the next time. Collecting his own coffee and beignet, he sat next to Calleigh on the couch.
Calleigh allowed herself to relax into the silence overtaking them. Silences were never awkward with Horatio; it was as though he could sense her need to work some things out in her head and gave her the time and space to do so. Turning on the couch, she drew up one leg and tucked it under her, facing Horatio directly. She studied his relaxed features for a moment before placing her empty dessert plate on Horatio's coffee table, signaling her readiness to talk. Horatio followed suit, ridding himself of the dish in his hand before mirroring Calleigh's position on the couch. He sat in silence, waiting for Calleigh to open the conversation. He did not have to wait long.
"If you don't mind me asking," Calleigh began, "I could use some clarification. I'm a little.confused about tonight."
Horatio felt his eyebrows knit together and he ducked his head, rubbing a hand over his forehead before Calleigh could read his uncertain expression. Did she not understand his invitation? His intentions? After over a month of flirting, was there a chance she believed he had invited her here as a gesture of platonic friendship? Or did she simply not return his feelings and was trying to give him a way out? Even as the doubts swarmed through Horatio's mind, he heard Calleigh speak again.
"I'm sorry, that came out wrong," she said, reaching out to draw his face up. Calleigh had seen Horatio's reaction and realized he had misinterpreted her comment, and now she attempted to clarify her thoughts out loud. "I meant , well, all of this-the dinner, the conversation, dessert, even sitting here with you-it all feels so.right. Easy. Natural. I only meant, well, after all the build-up between us this past month, I thought you'd have me fighting for control the whole evening and I was surprised. That's all."
Horatio felt himself relax. They were on the same page after all. He raised his eyebrows in a suggestive manner and jokingly addressed Calleigh. "So does this mean you would have preferred an evening of loaded conversation and thinly-disguised foreplay? Because if that's what you want."
Calleigh just slapped him on the arm and laughed. "You know what I meant, you tease."
Horatio laughed along with her and lost his ridiculous expression. He became serious and reached out to brush some of Calleigh's hair away from her face. As he dropped his hand, Calleigh caught it, and he stared at their intertwined fingers. He took a deep breath. It was time to lay his cards, and his heart, out on the table.
"Yeah, I knew what you meant," he said, looking into Calleigh eyes again. "I just didn't know what to do there for a moment when you said you were confused about what this was. I was afraid you were saying this past month had just been a game to you and you didn't want to pursue anything outside of the office. I thought you were saying you don't feel the same way I do."
Calleigh squeezed Horatio's hand and held the pressure, hoping to impart physically the earnestness of her next words. "Never doubt that I want this any less than you do, Horatio. I've been waiting too long for this opportunity to let it slip through my fingers by playing dumb or even hard to get. I don't need you to tell me there's something between us that goes beyond some stupid game or even our friendship, because it's the unspoken truth we carry around with us every day. It's in the room every time our eyes meet or our bodies touch. It's in our voices every time you say my name and every time I say yours. Something comes alive in me whenever you're around and I know it's true for you too. I don't want you to ever think I'm blind to what we have, Horatio, or that I would ever deny its existence or potency."
Horatio could only stare at Calleigh in wonder. He had not thought it possible to love her even more than he already did, but somehow she always found a way to show him depths to himself he never knew existed. She had managed to find the words that spoke the truth of his heart, to provide overwhelming and unnecessary evidence confirming this was meant to be.
He tried to tell her how much she meant to him, but he could not get the words past his lips. Instead, he pulled her into a tight embrace, holding her so firmly he knew she could barely breathe.
More than anything else, Horatio wanted to allow his body to communicate to Calleigh the depth of emotion her words had stirred in him. He felt Calleigh's head turn, knew she sought the same physical connection he craved, but he pulled away, determined she would hear some very important words first.